2023 Charity Partner
Charitable Impact
Since our establishment, Mates in Mind has empowered hundreds of organisations across the UK to tackle the silence surrounding mental ill-heath and embed a positive culture change within these workplaces.
Our story
During our first two years of action, we enabled hundreds of organisations within the construction sector to transform the mental health culture of their workplaces. Through our tailored programme, we have supported organisations of all sizes to start vital conversations about mental health.
Due to our successes within the construction sector, we have gained recognition across a range of industries, including the security sector.
Our Approach
Within the Mates in Mind framework there are four key elements of our Supporter Programme which together, create our unique joined up approach:
1. To educate and inform the workforce – with messages tailored to the specific levels within the organisation, from the general staff, to managers and leaders – helping everyone understand their roles and responsibilities when it comes to mental wellbeing.
2. To support an organisation in creating the right programme for them - offering guidance on specific worker issues, from creating a stress management policy – right through to connecting the workforce to appropriate support at the right time.
3. To visibly support the framework throughout the organisation with relevant and accessible communication materials – with informative posters and infographics, hard hat stickers and van stickers, to flyers and wallet cards etc.
4. To help build an evidence base – Mates in Mind continue to develop a research programme which will help the industry understand the nature and impact of mental health, and ensure development of effective and robust solutions.
Awareness & Education
A key part of our approach is to educate and inform the workforce with tailored training for employees, managers and mental health ‘champions’. This tailored approach to training ensures that all employees understand their roles and responsibilities when it comes to mental wellbeing at work. The awareness and education part of our programme is made up of three core courses;
- Start the Conversation
- Manage the Conversation
- Mental Health First Aid
Research and Development
We believe that the development of a strong evidence base, used to share good practice, is essential to supporting organisations through our joined-up approach to mental ill-health.
Since Mates in Mind was established, we have produced our own research, as well as supporting other organisations across the UK to help build an evidence base around how we can address mental ill-health in the workplace.
Communication and Advocacy
To support both internal and external advocacy of mental health awareness, we have created a suite of resources to enable organisations to visibly support the framework throughout an organisation with relevant and accessible communication materials – from posters, infographics, hard hat stickers to flyers, wallet cards and much more.
Guidance and Support
What makes our programme truly unique, is that it is not a one size fits all approach, which then leaves the organisation to roll out a company wide change on its own.
We work together with workplaces to help them identify the areas for improvement and growth, assess their requirements and work in partnership to roll out our programme and continue to support and provide guidance as an organisation grows and develops.
PREVIOUS Charity PartnerS
Our research is beating cancer Thanks to supporters like you, our pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Over the past 40 years survival has doubled, thanks to the great progress research has made. We want survival in the UK to be among the best in the world. We’re focusing our efforts in four key areas:
• Working to help prevent cancer
• Diagnose it earlier
• Develop new treatments
• Optimise current treatments by personalising them and making them even more effective.
We’ll continue to support research into all types of cancer and across all age groups.
We’re increasing our research in key areas such as early diagnosis, and hard-to-treat cancers.
We’re developing new tests, surgery and radiotherapy techniques, and cancer drugs.
To help accelerate progress, we’ll be investing an additional £50 million a year into new funding schemes for our researchers. These will encourage collaboration and innovation, and support research tackling some of the biggest scientific challenges in cancer research.
We’ll campaign for the best cancer services in all parts of the UK, and give more people the chance to join the fight against cancer.
But we can’t achieve our mission alone. We rely on our dedicated scientists, doctors and nurses, and the generosity of our supporters across the UK.
Over the last 40 years, cancer survival in the UK has doubled. In the 1970s just 1 in 4 people survived their disease for 10 years or more. Today 2 in 4 survive.
Our ambition is to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 patients surviving the disease by 2034.
With your incredible donations, we can beat cancer sooner.
Founded in 2008, the Camps Foundation has been working hard with the help of our members and volunteers to help communities across the World. Our work is dedicated to providing funding for a wide range of Camps International projects that inspire and improve the lives of those who need assistance and protect fragile ecosystems and the wildlife that depends on them for survival. Our focus includes:
HOUSING & WELFARE: It's estimated that more than 1 billion people worldwide are homeless and as many again may be lacking adequate housing. We believe that everyone should have access to shelter. That's why since 2010 we've supported the building and renovation of 50 homes across the world for the most vulnerable families.
CLEAN DRINKING WATER: Clean drinking water is scarce. In fact, 1 billion people don't have access to it. Camps International's water procurement, conservation and storage projects have provided water for more than 30,000 people worldwide.
FOOD SECURITY: 1 in 4 people in sub-Saharan Africa are undernourished and children are the most vulnerable. It’s estimated that malnutrition causes 3.1 million child deaths annually around the world. We’re working with local communities to provide lasting solutions to food shortages and encourage self-sufficiency.
HEALTHCARE & SANITATION: 1 in 3 people across the world - that’s around 2.4 billion - lack access to a toilet, costing thousands of children their lives every day through preventable diseases. Camps International has built more than 135 toilets and their Healthcare Programme has treated almost 30,000 people in need.
EDUCATION & TRAINING: Too many children are not gaining the education they need. Around 124 million are not enrolled in school. For those that are, 38% leave primary school without learning to read and write. Our school improvement programmes have benefitted more than 25,000 children, giving them greater access to a quality education.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION: As many as 50% of all species on Earth are heading towards extinction by 2050. 99% of currently threatened species are at risk due to human activities. Camps International's conservation projects have helped protect 100,000 hectares of wilderness in seven of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: Human activities are having a catastrophic effect on our planet. More than 80% of the Earth’s natural forests have been destroyed for agriculture development or resource extraction. We are working to protect the natural environment and have planted over 1 million trees since 2003.
SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS: There are currently 896 million poor people in developing countries living on less than $1.90 a day. The poorest are living in rural areas and over half are under 18 years of age. We work with local people and empower them to become more prosperous.
BOWEL CANCER UK
PTSD Resolution
PTSD Resolution is a charity that helps Forces' Veterans and their families to resolve mental health issues and the symptoms that can result in job loss, family breakdown and even suicide. The charity works closely with the security industry and employers in the sector, as many staff are veterans.
Therapy provided is free to veterans and their families. It is local – delivered through 200 accredited therapists nationwide; effective – with a near 8 out of 10 success rate in resolving trauma issues to the veteran's satisfaction; brief – with an average of 5 therapy sessions; inclusive – we also help partners and families; prompt – start of treatment is usually within days; confidential - no clinical or service referrals are required; private - no verbal re-telling of traumatic experiences is needed.
The charity also runs TATE – Trauma Awareness Training for Employers. The half-day course is ideal for line managers and HR staff who want to be able to identify where staff working in the security sector may be suffering from PTSD or related mental health issues. Training is provided on site or at a venue of the employers' choice.
If you are, or know of a Force's Veteran that may have suffered trauma, contact www,PTSDresolution.org
Kids on the Green
Kids on the Green was started as an emergency response to the horrific Grenfell Tower Fire on June 15th as the tower continued to burn.
Tormented by the large groups of distressed children and teens gathered watching the horror unfold, local youth worker Zoe LeVack wanted to create a respite area from the hell of Latimer road.
Initially setting up with a box of felt tips , a bag of footballs, water and a handful of helpers she shepherded many local children and families away from the scene of the tragedy. The project quickly became incredibly popular and each day more locals would come , and more volunteers would come to help.
By July the project had developed into a fully fledged organisation that was able to draw a little funding to aid its continuation through the summer. Kids On The Green acted to distract the children and young people with arts, circus, and sports whilst quietly offering art therapy, counselling and alternative healing alongside to both the children and parents alike.
Today Kids On The Green is still very much a part of the communities recovery. They have just taken on a new building to deliver their services and are fighting for funding to survive. The Post traumatic stress in the community is wide spread and the grief of the children who lost dear friends and neighbours is sizable. The people of North Kensington watched their fellow residents burn to death and the screams were heard for hours, "it is the screams that are the hardest to forget " - 12 year old resident of Latimer.
Teenager Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust make sure young people don't face cancer alone. That might mean providing treatment and support for young people in one of our comfortable, contemporary specialist cancer wards, or travelling to other hospitals and to young people's homes to make sure we reach everyone who needs us, wherever they live.
We also spread the word about the impact of cancer on young people. We do presentations in schools. We help medical professionals and politicians to understand why young people with cancer need specific support. And we publish a wide range of no-nonsense information resources.
We make sure that we're there for young people from the moment cancer is diagnosed until long after treatment is over. Whether it's helping young people return to work or school, or giving advice about dealing with long-term side effects, our events and support help young people figure out what normal looks like now.
The Ghana Education Project
The Ghana Education Project (GEP) is an award-winning UK-registered charity supporting education, equality and development in Northern Ghana.
The charity does this through the education and training of young people, building community facilities and promoting equality for girls and women.
GEP’s flagship project is the pioneering Kyabobo School for Girls in the Volta region, which opened in September 2013 and recently welcomed its second intake of pupils. By 2016, the school will be providing a high quality secondary education for over 300 girls, with the aim of becoming a beacon school for the whole of Ghana.
www.ghanaeducationproject.org.uk
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has its own Family Support Trust (previously called the Strathclyde Widows and Orphans fund). This is actually the oldest fire and rescue charity in the UK.
The charity changed its name in 2007 and following reform of the service in Scotland, it now rolls out its charitable services across the country.
It provides services such as bereavement and hardship grants, supports retired members and their families, a children’s investment trust ( for those suffering parental loss) and provides rest and recuperation facilities amongst many other registered beneficiaries.
http://www.sfr-familysupport.org.uk/
Suzy Lamplugh Trust
Suzy Lamplugh Trust was founded in 1986 and is the UK's only personal safety charity committed to creating a safer society for all. Our mission is to campaign, educate and support people to help reduce the risk of violence and aggression for everyone.
Our work can be divided into three key areas:
1. Helping and supporting people – we run the National Stalking Helpline, support people who have an increased risk of experiencing violence and aggression, and run community projects.
2. Education – we provide advice, training, guidance, workplace support, free resources, information, and consultancy.
3. Campaigning – we work in partnership with other charities, private and statutory organisations, raise awareness, and influence policy makers.
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